A low spring tide exposes the shoreline and prevents paddling up branches.
But, it attracts shoreline birds — like this little blue heron.
It was cold that day.
The the spring colors were promising of warmer days to come.
Spring flowers affirmed that.
With the creek beginning to bloom, we will visiting at least twice a month. A warm or a cold spell can change the array of blooms within days.
Submitted by Peggy Baker of Francis Weston Audubon Society of Pensacola, the society which completed a 2 year study recently of the birds in Blackwater River State Forest (abbreviated report by Peggy Baker posted in this blog, 2013). The photo of the nestling was taken by Larry R. Goodman.
Peggy writes:
“Here is a picture of the southeastern subspecies of the American kestrel.
“This bird nested all over the SE US at one time. In the last 80 years it has lost 70% of its population. Most of these birds nest in the middle of the state.
“This bird was photographed and thus documented in Blackwater by our survey team after FWC put up nestboxes in an area where we saw pair feeding young. Now there are numerous pairs in these FWC boxes. We cannot find another record of these birds nesting in Blackwater. So with the return of the Longleaf/wiregrass habitat, this bird has expanded it range. Larry Goodman is our our photographer.”
Comment: GRASI EIS notes that the open areas of the forest would be advantageous for positioning of temporary camps. These are the areas in which the birds would be found. Although the report by the society was available at the time of the initial EIS, no mention of this report is found in the species to be impacted.
Looking upriver. Ocklockonee River on right, Womack Creek on left. 3/13/2014.
The eastern US is under another freezing front. Here, it was in the low 50’s, the wind was blowing around 10mph, creating a few whitecaps on the Ochlockonee, but the sky was a cloudless blue. What else to do but go paddling.
Properly attired with layers under our PFDs, we paddled up the creek. The first unusual sight were blobs of white on trees in Womack Creek at the confluence. Getting closer we saw 8 large great egrets, sheltered on the lee side of the wind.
These were the birds which were hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Their plumage was much sought after for hats and other personal adornment. A conservation movement to stop the killing of birds for their feathers was started in reaction, the National Audubon Society was formed. Their symbol remains to this day the great egret (also called great white egret, American egret.)
When the wind ruffled their feathers, these birds in early breeding plummage — it was easy to see why their feathers were coveted. We had never seen a colony of these birds on Womack Creek; it made our day.
We were hoping to see more pinxter azaleas in bloom, and there are one or two more bushes in bloom. This year, however, will not rival 2011. The big rains and high waters of the last two years have taken the large stands of pinxter azaleas which were on the riverbanks. There were so many then, that the fragrance of the flowers was perceptible in the air.
Pinxter azalea, Womack Creek, March 13, 2014.
Walter’s viburnum, however, are now fully blooming throughout the creek — large stands both creekside and in the interior.
Demure yellow buttercups are still blooming on the forest floor.
The creek side trees are greening. Sweet gum and hornbeam, their young leaves a delicate shade of green, a contrast with the forever dark leaves of the bays.
Hornbeam in early spring leaf, Womack Creek, March 13, 2014.
The turtles will catch any sunshine they can, regardless of ambient temperature. This little one, not more than 4 inches long, reminded us of the Little Engine Who Could.
And, skulking (as that juvenile probably thought he was doing) the egrets was this little alligator, not quite 4 feet long, but totally unafraid of paddlers nearby.
Also taking advantage of the exposed shore was a little green heron, probably the same one we saw last week on Womack Creek. Although not quick to flight as some birds, it was camouflaged so well in the greenery that it was hard to get a good shot of this bird. An osprey was also flying near the confluence of the Ocklockonee. And a robin and the sounds of any number of unidentified birds in the bush.
The river was so low we were able to see barnacles on the trunks which are normally under water.
On the way out, on Rock Landing road we stopped to take a photo of a blooming thistle and found several ti-ti bushes in bloom and willows with catkins. Ti-ti is blooming all over Tate’s Hell as are Carolina jessamine. Spring is here.
Gopher Tortoise
Blackwater River State Forest is home to many species on the federally endangered and threatened list.
The Nature Conservancy says of Blackwater River State Park:
“Considered by many as Florida’s premier state forest, Blackwater River State Forest — 209,571 acres and counting — is the bedrock of a conservation complex that hosts an amazing 300 species of birds and 2,500 species of plants. One of the most biologically rich areas in the US, the forest is part of a vital nature corridor that gently rolls from Conecuh National Forest along the Florida-Alabama line to the Gulf of Mexico.”
“The state forest is a significant piece of the largest, continuous longleaf pine/wiregrass forest complex in the world. Once blanketing the entire southeastern United States, only 3 percent of that vast forest survives today. ”
For more: see http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates.
Blackwater River State Forest has been designated by the National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area (IBA) with a global priority (the highest). This designation means that this area in Northwest Florida is vital to birds and other biodiversity. It provides essential habitat for the survival of one or more species. In 2009, Francis M. Weston Audubon Society (Pensacola) undertook the task of surveying the birds in the (Blackwater River State) forest.
During the three years of weekly bird survey trips into Blackwater River State Forest, the FMWAS (Pensacola Audubon society) team made these observtions:
The team identified 181 different bird species within its 240,000 acres of forest.
The number of species of birds seen in the forest varied greatly from season to season.
1) There were 51 species there year around.
2) In addition, 39 more species were seen only during summer months.
3) There were 59 species observed only in winter.
4) There were 32 species of birds seen only during spring and fall migrations.
5) The most species and numbers of birds were seen in winter when 110 species were observed.
6) Ninety (90) species of birds nest and raise young in the forest.
Under the Migratory Bird Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a list of Birds of Conservation Concern — 1008. Twenty-three (23) of these bird species have been surveyed in Blackwater River State Forest. These include
Bald Eagle American Kestrel
Swallow-tailed Kite Solitary Sandpiper
Roseate Spoonbill Common Ground-dove
Chuck-will’s-widow Whip-poor-will
Red-headed Woodpecker Loggerhead Shrike
Brown-headed Nuthatch Wood Thrush
Sedge Wren Black-throated Green Warbler
Prairie Warbler Cerulean Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler Swainson’s Warbler
Kentucky Warbler Bachman’s Sparrow
Henslow’s Sparrow Le Conte’s Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird
Some of the most important conclusions drawn from the BRSFBS (Blackwater River State Forest Bird Survey) results include:
The acquisition of the Yellow River Ravine has created a wildlife corridor connecting Eglin AFB, Conecuh National Forest and Blackwater River State Forest. This provides migratory birds a safe and supportive habitat on their journey across the Gulf of Mexico to and from their breeding grounds. This corridor is unique in northwest Florida.
During spring and fall migration, 23 species of warblers were identified in small numbers in Blackwater River State Forest. These warblers depend on insects and worms found in oak, pine, beech and a variety of other trees in the forest to help them recover from their long flight across the gulf or to prepare them for the long trip. Other migrants, particularly Wood and Swainson’s Thrushes, were found eating the buds of bay trees during fall migration.
The food plots planted for deer and other wildlife attract wintering sparrows in great numbers. Large flocks of Chipping and Vesper Sparrows were present on every winter trip to these plots. Numerous wintering warblers including Palm, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers were also found in these plots. These plots provide a very important winter habitat for many bird species.
Dead snags left standing have attracted large numbers of woodpeckers. In addition to the Red-cockaded Woodpecker project of the Forestry Department which has been very successful, the forest is the home of good numbers of nesting Pileated, Red-bellied, Red-headed, Downy Woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers. There are a good number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and a few Hairy Woodpeckers in the forest during the winter season.
Eastern bluebirds nest in the natural cavities of the dead snags. The Brown-headed Nuthatches are also plentiful in the forest and use the dead snags for nesting.
Bachman’s Sparrows, a threatened indigenous species, were heard or seen in eleven of the thirteen survey areas in the forest during the spring breeding season.
Southeastern American Kestrels were seen feeding young in a clear-cut area in early spring. Nesting boxes were erected by the FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) in 2011 and two pair have been documented nesting in the last two years. This sub-species has had an overall decline of 82% in the last 70 years. This nesting evidence is important to the survival of this sub-species.
Wood Ducks were seen in ten of the thirteen survey areas during the nesting season. Other migratory ducks were observed in low numbers during the winter season in the lakes in Blackwater River State Forest.
Birds that need larger, natural cavities in older oaks are almost non-existent in the forest. There were no Barn Owls seen or heard in the forest. Only a few Screech Owls were heard.
Red-headed Woodpeckers, a bird on the national watch list, are present in good numbers in the summer. However they are less abundant in the forest in the winter because their major food in that season is acorns. It appears that there are not enough oaks in the forest to provide enough food for these birds in the winter.
Kentucky, Hooded and Swainson’s Warblers were heard and seen in low numbers in the nesting season in the thicket areas along the waterways within the forest.
The ponds at the FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) Fresh Water fish Hatcher located in BRSF (Blackwater River State Forest) attract migratory shorebirds and wading water birds. Bald Eagles sometimes perch in surrounding trees looking for feeding opportunities.
Wintering Hermit Thrushes and Blue-headed Vireos have been found in surprisingly large numbers in the pine plantations and in areas of thick undergrowth.
Areas in the forest that should attract wintering Henslow’s and Le Conte’s Sparrows have not been located. One sighting of each bird was reported in the food plots.
Clearcuts and replanted areas of small (pines) attract birds that prefer tall grasses or short bushes and trees as a nesting site. These birds usually relocate once the new pines reach head height. Yellow-breasted Chats, Prairie Warblers, Blue Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings were found nesting in planted, pine areas until the trees were about six feet tall. Blue Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings also nest in clearcuts and grassy thickets.
In areas where the Sand Pines have been thinned, the numbers and species of birds increase immediately as they find a food source that was not previously accessible.
It is our hope that our findings will impact the management and conservation of this Important Bird Area.
Peggy Baker is with the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society and the director of the 3 year bird survey in Blackwater River State Park which ended in early 2012. She attended the Florida Forestry Service Liason (group) meeting in July and attended a meeting of the Florida Forestry Service 10 Year Plan Steering Committee in early August and nothing was reported on the GRASI proposals. She found out about the GRASI proposal at the GRASI scoping meeting in August.
Tate's Hell and Blackwater River State Forests 